POLICY MANUAL - Calhoun County Schools

Adopted: 03/23/78Revised: 09/29/836.09LEAVE FOR JURY DUTYEmployees of the Calhoun County Board of Education shall be paid regularsalary when serving as jurors.Adopted: 03/23/78Revised: 05/27/83LEAVE FOR UNAVOIDABLE CAUSESection 16-8-25 of the Code of Alabama allows a local board of education togrant a teacher leave of not more than five days per year for “unavoidable” causes.This type leave is not to be charged against one’s personal leave or sick leave. It is atype of special, restrictive leave subject to strict accountability in accordance with Boardpolicy. The Board, through its Superintendent, must know the purposes for which theleave is requested. If the Superintendent acts negatively on the request the teacher hasthe right to appeal it to the Board for final adjudication. Action of the Board will be final.The Superintendent, and not the Board is personally responsible if he authorizes pay toa teacher for an illegal day of absence under this section.The Calhoun County Board of Education defines leave for “unavoidable” causeas that in which a teacher cannot prevent being absent for reasons not covered by otherleave provisions. Most acceptable requests for leave in this category have legalimplications such as: subpoenaed to court, attending court when an immediate memberof the family is being tried, giving assistance to an immediate member of the familyexperiencing difficulty with law breaking, probating a will, adopting a child, etc. Thereare other acceptable “unavoidable” causes such as enrolling a child in school requiringthe attendance of the parent, attending the marriage of a member of the immediatefamily where extensive travel is required, taking a test at college if the test cannot bescheduled on another day, etc.Unacceptable causes in this category would include attending a musical orrecreational event, working at home, moving to a new residence (an exception would beif legally evicted or if the home previously lived in were destroyed), going hunting,fishing, staying home to be with a guest, going shopping or looking for another job, etc.A teacher asking for an “unavoidable” leave should, if possible, contact theprincipal and Superintendent in advance so that a decision can be rendered before theleave is needed. A teacher forfeits a day’s pay for each and every day of unacceptableleave. It is not permissible for a teacher to pay the substitute and be paid the differencefor a day of unacceptable leave.6.10